Accessible to All: Learning Spaces for Diverse Needs with Bonny Dieterich

As an elementary teacher and special educator in Maryland, Georgia, and Virginia for 22 years, Bonny has designed classroom experiences that are accessible to all learners. As a wheelchair user, she leads conversations about disability awareness in the classroom and community. Bonny received her Master of Education in Diverse Student Populations from the University of Mary Washington and Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Bonny’s debut children’s book, Recess Magic, will be on bookshelves in the fall of 2021. Join Bonny for an interactive deep dive into practical changes that can be made to enhance classroom access for all learners, including environmental modifications and transition sound strategies.

Discovering your own Sensory Emotional Profile: Strategies to Maintain Regulation & Engagement when Interacting with your Child by Michele Parkins, MS, OTR

We are all sensory and emotional beings, including parents! Join Michele Parkins, MS, OTR as she shares insights that will help you know yourself better, which can result in showing up for your kids in a more purposeful, regulated, and engaged way. Michele Parkins is an Occupational Therapist specializing in working with children and families with Sensory Processing and Integration Disorder and challenges in social-emotional development. Michele is a fellow of Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, OTR, and faculty of Sensory Treatment and Research Institute. She educates therapists from all over the country and world on treatment for sensory processing disorder. She is certified in the Developmental Individual Differences Relation-based model (DIR) and is faculty of Profectum Foundation where she educates therapists all over the world on social-emotional development and the DIR model.

Parent-Therapist Connection with Renee Allen, MS, OTR/L

The connection experienced between parent and therapist is foundational for optimal outcomes of sensory-based occupational therapy intervention and can bring more playfulness and joy into the process. Renee Allen, MS, OTR/L is the owner of ROOTS Pediatric Occupational Therapy. She also educates other therapists as a member of the STAR Institute Faculty. In her experience using a family-centered model of practice, parent education, coaching, and participation are crucial parts of this type of intervention. During treatment, she takes a deep dive with parents to discover a child’s unique regulation profile. She uses this profile to better understand what constricts and supports a child’s ability to access learning and to make progress in all areas of development. Through viewing their child and themselves through a sensory sense, parents can be equipped with the tools they need to support their child after occupational therapy is done. This family-centered approach to intervention which supports sensory processing, relationships, and regulation can set the roots from which children grow and blossom. Join Renee as she shares insights from her experience on how therapists and parents can team together to help children thrive!

An Integrative Health Approach to Neurodevelopment by Dr. Suzanne Goh, MD

Dr. Suzanne Goh, the co-founder and chief medical officer of Cortica Healthcare, has dedicated her career to researching and developing therapies for neurological conditions that impact childhood brain development. Specializing in the treatment of autism, Dr. Goh has developed an innovative approach for helping children with neurological differences to achieve more meaningful social interaction, greater capacity for self-regulation, enhanced cognitive function, and improved overall health across all body systems. Dr. Goh is also co-author of the book Spectacular Bond: Reaching the Child with Autism. Join Dr. Goh as she shares her insights and experience based on years of research and clinical practice.

In-Sync Activities to Get Kids Moving by Carol Stock Kranowitz

Come explore new ways to move and connect with your child! Author, educator, and sensory processing expert Carol Stock Kranowitz shared simple, regulating, and FUN movement activities that can be done with just a few simple supplies at home or at school.

Sensational Kids: A Q&A discussion with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller

Join us for a live online discussion with the venerable Dr. Lucy Jane Miller. Dr. Miller is one of the foremost experts in the area of Sensory Processing Disorders. She is the founder and Executive Director Emeritus of the STAR Institute, prolific researcher, and author of books including Sensational Kids and No Longer A Secret. She is also a compassionate and insightful speaker who will have wisdom to share with parents, therapists, and teachers alike. Click here for more information about Dr. Miller.

SCORE! Regulation and Engagement During Virtual Learning by Robyn Chu, MOT, OTR/L, and Jenni Stucki, MS, OTR/L

Do you want some practical tips for helping your child better access digital learning? Are you a teacher navigating how to best serve your students during distance learning? Or a therapist supporting children who have unique challenges to accessing virtual learning? Come join us for some really practical, actionable ideas that you can implement NOW!

Executive FUNCTIONing by Sara Jefferson, OTR/L

Executive functioning skills are the cognitive skills that guide everything we do on a day to day basis including planning, initiating, prioritizing, remembering, and monitoring our actions. These skills play an important role in the daily participation of children (and adults!) of all ages to accomplish simple to complex tasks across all domains of life. This presentation will break down the executive functions, examine EF’s role on a child’s daily functioning, how to support the development of these skills, and the occupational therapist’s unique role in this process.

Using Sensory Strategies to Promote Success at Home and in the Classroom by Peggy Enabnit, OTR/L

Get ideas for using sensory strategies successfully with a variety of students, including those with Sensory Processing Disorders and ADHD. Gain an understanding of how and why to choose specific strategies for each unique child. How you can use tools that foster neurological changes and promote growth within your children and students.

Sensory Strategies to Survive Shelter in Place by Robyn Chu, MOT, OTR/L

Come join us for a discussion of how to support yourself and the children you serve in whatever roles you occupy at these crazy times. We’ll talk about self-awareness, self-care, and sensory-based strategies for helping us all stay a little more regulated.

Vestibu-HUH? Demystifying the Powerful Movement Sense by Jenni Stucki, MS, OTR/L

Our vestibular sense is crucial for balance and movement. It works together with our other senses to help us orient ourselves in space, feel grounded, and interact with the world. Come and learn the basics about this crucial sensory system. We will also discuss practical tools and tips for harnessing the power of this hidden movement sense to help your children, students, and even yourself!

Youth Development of Core and Trunk Strength by Wendy Brandt, MS, OTR/L

Weak core and trunk strength can impact performance in areas including handwriting, fine motor, and self-care tasks in the developing child. In this presentation we will discuss and review core exercises and practical play activities to help strengthen the muscles of the core and trunk.

SPD in Teens: Recognizing Triggers and Identifying Coping Tools by Meghan Enabnit, MS, OTR/

This presentation will focus on ways to support a teenager with Sensory Processing Disorder by identifying their internal and external warning signs leading to dysregulation. It will offer examples of calming tools to support him or her to be successful and have joy of life at home, school, and in the community.

Encouraging Engagement with Food Using Art, Play, and Science by Sheryl Trainor, MS, OTR/L/span>

Does it seem like your child has little interest in eating or exploring new foods? Is it a struggle to sit at the table at mealtime? Does your child get anxious around new foods? This webinar will explore methods of engagement for different developmental levels to use with picky eaters and problem feeders. Be prepared to get messy!

What’s Social About Literacy? by Angeles VanVleet, MS CCC-SLP

OThere is more to reading than being able to break the code, decipher vocabulary, and interpret sentences. Learn about the relationship between reading comprehension and social thinking.